Cutting The Gordian Knot
by katstales
Summary: When John accompanies Teyla on a trading mission, they find themselves in a situation neither of them would have ever dreamed possible. Contains Shep Whump and AR character-death.
1. Chapter 1

_We have met the enemy, and he is us. __**--Walt Kelly**_

"I'm a Lieutenant Colonel in the United States Air Force and the military commander of Atlantis." Sheppard grinned at Teyla and shifted the bag of medical supplies on his shoulder. "Tell me again why I'm here playing delivery boy on a backwater planet to a village of tava bean farmers? And I still think we should have brought the jumper."

She flashed him a knowing smile in return. "I have already explained to you that the Daarsans are a very simple people. Technology such as the jumper would be too much for them to accept. Bringing it here would cause them to lose whatever trust we have managed to build thus far. And I would like to believe that you are here simply because I asked you to accompany me."

"What other reason would there be?" His lazy grin belied the false indignation in his tone.

She shook her head, laughing. "We both know the true reason you have agreed to come."

"Oh?"

"You are only here because Dr. Beckett has not yet fully cleared Ronon and Rodney for duty. You were getting restless," she accused.

"That's not the reason." He again repositioned the heavy bag. "Well, it's not the main one. How far did you say it was again?"

Teyla adjusted her own weighted pack. "The settlement is just beyond the next rise. And do not think you can change the subject so easily. Tell me why you agreed to accompany me?"

"Well…there were a lot of reasons." John paused as the pair crested the hill, bending to rest his hands on his knees. "One down, one to go," he muttered, eyeing the final steep rise before them. "One BIG one to go."

She mimicked his actions, bending to relieve the pressure. "And those reasons would be?"

He peered over at her with a wry smile. "You aren't going to let this go, are you?"

She straightened, smiling down at him with her hands on her hips. She pretended to consider it, but finally shook her head. "No."

He stood as well, rolling his eyes at her as he started down the hill. "Well, for starters, someone had to come along to watch your back."

She shook her head, but followed his lead. "Not that there is any need of it here, but that is a task any number of your marines could have easily and efficiently handled. I wish to know specifically why _you_ came."

He sighed. "Because you asked me to," he admitted.

She raised an eyebrow, but his discomfort certainly supported his answer. "So the main reason you came is because I asked."

"Well, you are a member of my team. And besides, we just got the other two out of Beckett's little vacation spa. I need to make sure no one else ends up there."

Smiling warmly, she read between the lines of his words. "In that case, I am honored."

"I would have done it for any number of people," he protested. "Ronon. Elizabeth. Carson."

She recalled their conversation on the Daedalus only a few days prior, noting the missing name with amusement. "And Rodney."

He made a face, pretending to consider the addition, and then shook his head. "Nah, I wasn't that desperate yet."

She laughed. "Stop. You would and you know it."

He grinned mischievously. "Maybe."

They continued in comfortable silence, until John stopped abruptly near the top of the last hill. He scanned the skies, but found nothing amiss. "Do you smell that?"

Teyla nodded, worried. "Something is wrong."

The duo turned in tandem and hurried to the top. Panting, they dropped their packs and stared in dismay at the smoldering ruins of the farming community.

"Wraith?" asked John.

"Possibly." She seemed doubtful, but offered no explanation.

"Come on, let's go check it out."

Weapons ready, they hurried down the hill to the ruined village.

-A-

Together, they methodically made their way through the burned out ruins. One by one, buildings were scouted and bodies counted. By the time they were finished, both were sweaty, exhausted, and covered from head to toe in soot.

"I do not believe this was the Wraith's doing," said Teyla.

"Not their usual MO, that's for sure. And what happened to the kids? I didn't see a single body under the age of ten."

"Let us hope that the children were taken to safety before the village was destroyed."

"Yeah, but where? I didn't see any sign of a hiding place either. Think maybe they got them offworld before they were hit?"

"I do not believe they would have sent them elsewhere," she responded, shaking her head. "The Daarsans have very strict beliefs. They would not trust their children to anyone who was not of this world."

"Okay. So what happened to them? They either hid 'em, or whoever did this..." He made a sweep of the smoldering ruins with his arm. "Took 'em. So the question is where--and why?"

Teyla coughed on the lingering smoke. "A hiding place would have to be far enough away to be safe, but near enough to be easily accessible if needed. I would guess they are in the hills somewhere.

"Some of those kids have to be awfully little. Can't be easy to keep a group like that quiet for long." John scanned the surrounding hills. Some were definitely small mountains and he had to wonder how difficult it would be to move a group of children over that kind of terrain.

"We should attempt to locate them."

He looked around at the blacked buildings and fences, coughing. "We should report in first. We'll need a lot more manpower if we're going to manage any kind of effective search."

Her eyes roamed over the surrounding hills. "Yes, we should hurry."

The pair quickly backtracked through the village. They'd barely started up the hill when Teyla suddenly froze. "Did you hear that?"

"What?"

She waited for a long beat. "There. Did you not hear that?"

John nodded. "Sounds like crying. Come on."

-A-

They discovered it hidden in the wooded area on a hill east of the village. The entrance was well concealed by a wall of vines and Teyla wasn't certain they would have ever found it if not for the cries coming from within. The door was made of wood, thick and well constructed. John grabbed the handle, nodding to her as he pulled it open.

She shined the light of her P-90 into the structure, sweeping from wall to wall. A lone figure huddled in the corner, keening loudly. "Clear," she announced before hurrying inside.

He stayed at the entrance and shined his light inside, leaving her to deal with the distraught woman.

She knelt in front of the native, immediately recognizing her. "Jalea?" She kept her tone soothing, carefully reaching out to touch the woman's shoulder.

Jalea started at the hand on her arm. The crying stopped instantly, her eyes frantically searching the small enclosure for an escape. Before she could bolt, Teyla grabbed her by both arms and forced her to look at directly at her. "Jalea!"

The woman stilled, finally recognizing her. Without a moment's hesitation, she threw herself into the Athosian's arms and renewed her wailing.

"You know her?"

Teyla nodded, continuing to rub the native woman's back to soothe her. She had to yell to be heard over the loud cries. "This is Jalea, daughter of Monal and Brissa. We have been friends for many years, since we were but children ourselves."

John pointed toward the burned out village. "Ok. I'll go have another look around while you get her calmed down. Maybe she can tell us where the kids are--and who did this."

Teyla nodded and turned her attention back to her friend as he headed back out into the smoky mess.

-A-

It took some time, but Teyla finally managed to calm her enough to speak. "Jalea, can you tell me what happened here today?"

The native again began to cry. "Is he going to kill you, too?"

Teyla could barely understand her with the woman sobbing, her face deeply buried into the Athosian's shoulder. "No one is going to harm you, Jalea. I promise you, my friend and I will keep you safe."

She pulled away, tears still streaming down her face, and shook her head vehemently. "No! No, he said he would be back. He told me he was sorry and then took the children away--all of them. He took my Ryssa. Oh, Teyla, he took my baby! And now he has returned, as he promised."

"My friend has never before been to your world, Jalea. We came to trade with your people and found you in here. See? The door is open--we may leave anytime you feel up to it."

"No! He is not your friend! He is an evil, evil man! He killed everyone and now he is going to kill us, too!"

The woman was quickly becoming hysterical again. Teyla grabbed her, holding her head in a position that forced her to look at the Athosian. "I promise you, Jalea, that John is my friend. He will help me to protect you."

Tears continued unabated. "No," she whimpered. "He killed everyone. I heard it--we all heard it. We heard their screams as they were dying. The children, they were so very scared. It was awful! And then he came and took all the children. He beat me and left me here all alone. And now he has come back to kill me--like the others."

Teyla's heart broke at what her friend had gone through. Placing a hand on each of her friend's shoulders, she spoke as sincerely as she could. "Jalea, I do not know who has done this terrible thing--but I do know that it was not John. He has never been to your world before we stepped through the ring of the ancestors together a few hours ago--long after the attack on your village."

Jalea was clearly not buying Teyla's reassurances. "No, it was him! It was! Why will you not believe me?" she wailed.

Teyla shook her head and sighed. Looking the woman directly in the eyes, she tried a different tact. "Jalea, can you tell me about the man who did this? What was he wearing?"

She nodded. "He was wearing a gray coat, like your other one. Only not red. It was black here…" She paused to indicate first one, then the other side of her upper chest. "And here. And gray trousers, like yours."

The Athosian frowned. "Jalea, John is wearing all black. He has been wearing the same clothing all day."

"No! It was him--I know it was!"

Teyla quickly cut her off before she became hysterical again. "Perhaps it was someone who only looked like John," she suggested.

The woman was adamant. "No, it was him! His hair was sticking up on top and he wore those same strange dark covers over his eyes--just like that man out there you call your friend. The only difference is that he wore a gray coat instead of the shiny black one."

Before Teyla could question her any further, she heard Sheppard's voice over the radio. _"Teyla? You read me?"_

"Go ahead, John. I read you loud and clear."

_"I found something a little…odd out here. I don't hear anymore screaming. Can you come out and take a look or do you need more time with her?"_

"We will join you in a moment."

_"Good, I'm over by the blacksmith's forge. Sheppard out."_

Teyla turned back to Jalea, a serious expression on her face. "Colonel Sheppard has something to show us. He is NOT the man who attacked your village. Will you come with me?"

Her friend shook her head, her eyes wide as saucers. "No, we cannot go out there! He will kill us!"

"No, Jalea! John would never harm me--or you. I am certain that he will be able to help us get to the bottom of this and figure out who attacked you. Will you come with me? Please?"

Jalea stared at Teyla's outstretched hand, terrified. Slowly, she reached for it, whimpering when their hands made contact. "You promise he will not harm us?"

The Athosian smiled warmly. "Yes, I give you my word that John will not harm you."

"All right," she responded uncertainly.

"You are very brave, Jalea. Come now, John is waiting." Teyla grasped the woman's hand firmly and started toward the door.

They had barely taken two steps when the native cried out and stumbled, collapsing into Teyla's arms. The Athosian gently lowered her to the floor and began to check for injuries. As she carefully felt along her friend's rib cage, her fingers encountered a sticky wetness.

"Oh, Jalea." She briefly closed her eyes before tapping her earpiece. "John? We have a problem here."

-A-

John re-entered the dim structure, bearing an oil lamp. "Teyla?"

"Over here," she answered from the corner.

"What's up? And why couldn't you tell me over the radio?"

The Athosian met him half way, lowering her voice so that the injured woman could not hear. "Jalea has been gravely wounded."

"Damn. I'm sorry."

"Thank you. John, you need to know that she has insisted that you are the one responsible for the attack and for killing all of those people."

"What? That's crazy. I've never even set foot on this planet until a few hours ago."

Teyla nodded. "I know that. I tried to tell Jalea as much, but she is very firm in her belief. I thought that you should know."

"Yeah," he agreed. "Listen, I found something when I was looking around out there." He gestured to the lone rickety table in the room and ushered her to it.

Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a handful of debris and tossed several small chunks to scatter atop the wooden surface. He picked up one of the larger pieces and handed it to the Athosian. "That's part of a detonator," he explained gravely. He grabbed a small metal ring next. "And this is the pin from a grenade."

Teyla turned it over in her hand. "I do not understand."

"Both of these are standard US military issue."

Her eyes widened. "Something very strange has happened here. First Jalea insisting that you were the one who attacked the village and now…this."

"You're telling me. Why would she say something like that anyway?"

"It was you!" the woman blurted out, now conscious. "I summoned the children from their studies and brought them to the shelter to hide. We thought the Wraith had come, so we were very quiet, just like in our practices. The children were all so good, so very cooperative and quiet, just as they have been taught." Her breathing increased as she told the tale, along with the speed of her words. "Then the loud noises began and the ground shook. We heard the screams and we knew! We knew that our families were dying! And-and-and then the door opened and the younger children began to scream. We thought the Wraith had discovered our hiding place."

Tears streamed down her reddened cheeks as she struggled to sit. "But it was not the Wraith--it was YOU! You told the children that you were going to take them to a better place. You went through the room, looking at each one of us. And when you got to me, you told me to stand in the corner, with my face to the wall. You told the children that you would kill me if they did not cooperate."

The woman's sobs make it difficult for her to speak, but she pushed herself to her feet and continued her story. "But I could not let you take them away--especially my Ryssa! So I tried to stop you, but you were too strong and you over-powered me. We struggled and you hit me. I tried to get your knife from your belt, but you stabbed me with it. And then you took them away--you took my Ryssa! Why did you take my baby? What did I ever do to you to deserve such a thing?"

Teyla went immediately to her side. "Jalea, please, you must calm yourself. Please come and lay back down before the bleeding worsens," she pleaded.

Without warning, Jalea wretched herself free from the Athosian's grasp and flew at John. "You murdered my family and took my daughter!"

A bit off guard, he managed to catch her, but nearly lost his balance as he stumbled backward into the table. "Hey, it wasn't me--I swear."

His words had no effect and she continued pummeling his chest with her fists. "You killed them! You killed them all! You took my baby--you are evil! Evil!"

He did his best to fend the woman off without hurting her even worse, but his efforts met with little success. "A little help here, please?" he called to his teammate.

The Athosian quickly came to his aid and pulled Jalea away, back to her makeshift bed. Shaken by the undeserved attack, he backed away and left her to tend to the woman.

The injured native promptly collapsed again, taking Teyla with her. The Athosian dropped to her knees, gathering her childhood friend into a tight hug. "I am so very sorry this has happened to you, Jalea. And I know that you need to blame someone." She pulled away slightly, placing a hand on the distraught woman's chin and gently lifting. Looking deeply her into eyes, she spoke earnestly. "But I swear to you on all that I hold dear, John is _not_ the one who did this to your people."

"It was him!" she insisted, shaking her head and whimpering. "I saw him."

Before Teyla could refute her, John called out to her. "Teyla, can I have a word over here?"

The Athosian nodded and turned to her sobbing friend. "I need you to remain here while I speak with John for a moment. Can you do that for me?"

The woman's eyes went wide with fear as she latched onto Teyla for dear life. "No! He will hurt you!"

Teyla gently, but firmly pulled her away. "No, Jalea. John will not harm me. I have already told you that he is my friend." She helped the injured woman lay back onto the pile of blankets. "I will be right there where you can see me the entire time. Will you wait here for me?"

Jalea's tears continued to fall, but she reluctantly nodded. "Good." Teyla tucked her friend's long, golden hair behind her ear and smiled encouragingly. "I shall only be a moment," she assured her, checking the injured woman's bandages.

She quickly closed the short distance to where Sheppard waited. As promised, she and John remained in sight--but out of earshot.

"This is probably stating the obvious, but something really strange is going on here," he began. "Care to enlighten me as to why she is so sure I'm the one who did this?"

Teyla turned to check and found that Jalea's eyes were closed. "I do not know why, but she is quite insistent that you were the perpetrator of this…despicable act. She said that you were wearing a different jacket--the gray one with the black shoulder panels. But she is quite adamant that the man had the same hair as you do, the same eyes, and the same face. I have been unable to convince her that you had never set foot on this planet before our arrival."

He frowned. "That's strange, all right. But there's still the more pressing question of how whoever did this got a hold of our ordinance."

Teyla tilted her head questioningly. "Are you certain that it is from Earth?"

He nodded, his expression grave. "Yeah, positive. Which leads us to the question of how someone got their hands on it. You know the measures in place to prevent our weapons and ordinance from falling into the wrong hands. There is no way this much could have gone missing without my knowing about it."

She readily agreed. "It does seem highly unlikely. Is it possible that this did not come from Atlantis's stores? Perhaps someone brought it on the Daedalus."

He considered her suggestion. "I don't know. Security's pretty tight, even for personal belongings. No, there's got to be another explanation for it."

"There is one other matter we must discuss."

"And that would be?"

"Jalea has also been quite insistent that the man who did this said that he was coming back for her."

Sheppard drew in a sharp breath. "Well, then I guess we'd better not stick around. Think she's up for a hike to the gate? We can send her through when we notify Atlantis about what happened here. She'll be safe there until we can find out what happened to the others."

Teyla shook her head, a sorrowful expression on her face. "I do not believe she will be able to recover. Doctor Beckett would better be able to say for certain, but the wound is deep and the bleeding has been severe. It…does not look good."

"Damn it! I don't like leaving you here alone with that madman still out there--especially if she's right about him coming back for her."

"Yes, but what other choice do we have? We cannot leave her alone here in her condition."

"I know, I know. Okay, I'll head back to gate and get a medical team, along with a detail to take care of the bodies out there and some search teams. We still need to find out what happened to those kids. You stay here with her until I get back."

Teyla nodded. "We will be fine."

He nodded and turned for the door, but she put a hand on his arm to stop him. "Be careful."

"Always," he promised, heading for the door. Before stepping outside, he called back to her. "Hey, watch your back."

She smiled. "Of course. And you as well."

-A-

John made good time getting back to the gate without the heavy supply pack to weigh him down. There had been no indication of anyone following him or anything amiss--a good sign, he hoped.

He stepped up to the DHD, his P-90 still in hand, and pressed the first glyph. He frowned when nothing happened. He tried again, the second attempt also resulting in failure. He was about to try the next glyph in the sequence when he heard a noise behind him and momentarily froze. He slowly adjusted his grip on his weapon and pushed the second symbol. He knew nothing would happen, but he didn't want to alert the intruder that he'd been discovered. Taking a deep breath, he whirled and prepared to fire.

He'd barely begun to move when he felt a sizzling jolt hit him squarely in the back. A familiar numbness began to spread through his body as he fell to the ground. Helpless, he could do nothing more than watch as a shadow moved into his field of vision.

"You know, I was really hoping you'd already be dead."

John's mind whirled as a face that was identical to his own looked down on him, speaking with a voice that was also a perfect match to his own. He absently noted the Wraith stunner his duplicate held, having already recognized the sensation when he was hit. Consciousness was fading fast as the stunner was tossed aside and he felt himself being pulled upright. An insistent tug on his jacket was the last thing he knew before surrendering to the beckoning darkness.


	2. Chapter 2

Teyla drank deeply from her canteen before capping it and replacing it on her belt. Wiping a hand across her forehead, she resumed pacing the small chamber.

John had not been gone long, but she had a very bad feeling that something was terribly wrong. Stopping in front of the door, she looked out across the smoldering remains of the village in the valley below.

Sighing, she reached for her radio. "John, come in. Have you been able to contact Atlantis yet?"

She frowned when his answering hail did not come. "John, this is Teyla. Please respond."

There was a long pause, but finally a burst of static came over the airwaves, followed by his familiar drawl. "Teyla? This is Sheppard, you copy?"

"Yes! John, I was beginning to worry when you did not answer my call."

"Yeah, well, sorry about that. I'm at the gate. Somebody's sabotaged the DHD. No way can we dial out on this thing--it's completely dead."

"That is not good news."

"Yeah, tell me about it. Look, since I can't dial out, we should stick together. What's your location?"

"We have not moved." The feeling that something was not right grew stronger. He knew that Jalea was too severely injured to move, so why was he inquiring as to their location?

"Any problems?" he asked.

"No, it has been very quiet. Jalea is still unconscious. I fear that without Doctor Beckett's help, she does not have long to live."

There was a long pause, but finally his voice sounded again. "Well, good luck with her. I'm on my way back now. Sheppard out."

Teyla hesitated, tilting her head as she replayed the conversation in her mind. There was something definitely…off about it. Other than him asking her location, there had been nothing wrong with his words, but his tone seemed, well, different. And there had been pauses and hesitations with no obvious reason and no explanation.

She shook off her concerns for the time being and resumed her pacing. Moving closer to her childhood friend, she watched as the woman shifted restlessly. A fine sheen of sweat was barely visible on her brow, prompting Teyla to sigh. It was obvious that an infection had begun to set in. Without Carson's assistance, Jalea was doomed.

Teyla began to pray.

-A-

Jalea tossed and turned on her makeshift bed. Tears streamed down her cheeks, already red and puffy from crying. She knew that her injuries were grave. Her mind drifted to all of the things she would miss in her daughter's life once she was dead. Teyla had promised that her healer-friend could help and she had wanted desperately to believe her.

Those hopes were quickly dashed, however, when the fever set in. Her side was on fire, the pain nearly unbearable. It was then that she knew she would not recover. But she couldn't just give up. The thought that she would never again lay eyes on her beloved daughter was too much to bear. Jalea shuddered, but not from the chills of her fever.

The man with Teyla was the same one who'd taken the children, including Ryssa; she _knew_ this, she had seen him. And yet…he wasn't. She stared off into space, mentally weighing Teyla's assurances against what she thought she knew. The hands, the voice, the face, the eyes--all of it had belonged to the man who was responsible for her worst nightmare. But at the same time, it was different. _He_ was different. And those differences were more than just the clothing he wore. But how could that be?

"Have you found the answers you seek?" Jalea started, so absorbed in her thoughts that she never even heard the Athosian drop down to sit beside her.

She shook her head, unable to voice her thoughts.

"I am sorry." The Athosian dropped to the ground and sat next to her.

"Why?" Jalea turned to face her. "Why, when you will not believe me?"

Teyla placed her hand over her friend's. "I am sorry that this horrible thing has happened to you. I am sorry that your family is gone. That your parents, your husband, and your friends are all gone--they were my friends, too, and I will miss them terribly. I am sorry that your child was taken. And I am sorry that that I failed you, that John and I did not arrive soon enough to prevent this terrible tragedy from happening."

"You did not fail me. And I know you doubt me, but it _was_ him!" Her face contorted with anguish. "I know you do not believe me, but it is true. He is the one. I _saw_ him!"

The Athosian gently sponged her brow with a damp cloth. "I know that you believe that it was John. I only wish I could convince you that he was with me on Atlantis, right up until the time we came through the ring of the ancestors together. This is his first visit to your world; there is simply no way that he could have possibly done this."

Teyla set the cloth aside and took her friend's hand. "What about the differences. You have already told me that his clothing was different. Were there other differences as well?"

Jalea nodded uncertainly. "I do not know that I can explain."

The Athosian smiled encouragingly. "Will you try?"

Jalea took a deep breath, sagging more deeply into the makeshift bed. "His hair and his face are the same. Exactly the same. It is his eyes, I think. They are the same, yet…they are not. They were…harder, colder when he took the children away."

Teyla looked deep into her eyes. "Will you try something for me?"

The woman swallowed hard, but nodded.

"I would like you to try to concentrate on the differences when next you see him. Perhaps that will allow you to finally see that he is not the one responsible."

"What if it does not work? What if I cannot accept that it was not him?" Jalea remained wary.

"I only ask that you try." Teyla smiled warmly. "For that is all that anyone can do."

"Must he come back?" She already knew the answer, but had to try one last time.

"Yes, John will be returning to the village shortly. But if it makes you too uncomfortable, I am certain he will agree to remain outside. Will that be acceptable to you?"

Jalea thought it over. "I will try."

Teyla smiled at her, gently patting her arm. "That is all any anyone could ask. But for now, you must try to rest."

Jalea nodded tearfully, but did not speak. Closing her eyes, she attempted to drift into the nothingness of sleep.

-A-

He tugged at the sleeves of the black leather coat and smoothed the front of it over his chest and stomach. It was a good fit and a much better garment that the gray utility jacket that was now at the bottom of the steep drop off before him.

A brief look of regret passed over his face as he looked down at the body of his twin below. "Sorry, pal. Wish it could have gone down differently, but it was you or me. And there are people that are depending on me--people that I can't let down."

He slowly turned away, and with a determined stride, headed for the village to meet Teyla. There was still a lot to be done before he could return home.

-A-

Some time had passed when Teyla heard a noise in the brush near the door. Whirling, she had her P-90 up and aimed in an instant. Cautiously, she approached the door and peered outside.

A lively, but harmless creature that John had once referred to as a squirrel on acid scurried up a tree and disappeared from view. It was followed quickly by another of its kind, likely a mate, thought Teyla.

She remained alert, scanning for any possible threat. Finding the area clear, she reentered the room and turned to Jalea. "It was nothing."

The injured woman lay stiff as a board, frozen to the spot and wide-eyed with fear. Teyla knelt and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Jalea? Are you all right?"

The only change in her friend was her eyes. They frantically darted everywhere, looking, Teyla knew, for any sign of the one who destroyed her life. She moved directly in front of her and shook her once. "Jalea, look at me!"

Yet again, tears began to slide down the woman's cheeks. "He is still out there," she said brokenly. "And he still wants me dead. Like the others."

Teyla's heart broke at the defeat in her eyes. "I will not lie to you. Yes, the person who did this is still out there. But know this--John and I will both protect you from any further harm. You have my word."

The Athosian did not miss the way Jalea tensed at the mention of Sheppard's name. She took a deep breath. "Are you still prepared to give John a chance?"

The woman turned her head, obviously considering the matter. After a long pause, she nodded. "I will try."

Teyla squeezed her hand. "Thank you. Will you try to rest again now?"

At Jalea's nod, she stood and went back to watch out the door.

-A-

John woke to a cacophony of nonexistent jackhammers inside his head. His other senses returned slowly, beginning with the sensation of rocky ground beneath him. Next was the chill of the air on his arms and legs, which caused him to shiver uncontrollably. He wondered absently what had become of his nice warm jacket and slacks.

The inadvertent motion, in turn, brought to life the rest of the nerve endings in his body, all of which were screaming madly with pain. His head was the worst, followed closely by his ribs and right knee.

Through sheer force of will, he fought his way to a seated position. Breathing heavily from the effort, he waited for the world around him to stop spinning. Something wet trickled down the side of his face, so he raised his hand to wipe it away. Not surprisingly, his fingers came away red with blood. He was thankful that at least he wasn't suffering from double vision.

A small gust of wind set off another bout of shivering. He slowly swept the area with his eyes, trying desperately to avoid sending everything into a tailspin again. He spotted a familiar-looking gray jacket first, then the matching pants. His boots were nowhere in sight. Damn.

Heaving a resigned sigh, he started the climb to his feet to retrieve the garments. For while they weren't his, they would provide more protection against the chill than this t-shirt and boxers. He barely made it to his uninjured knee when the scenery around him dissolved into a kaleidoscope of whirling colors. His stomach did a flop and he immediately abandoned the attempt to rise.

He lay flat on the ground for what seemed a long time, waiting for his stomach to settle enough to move again. When he could no longer stand the shivering, he carefully rolled onto his stomach and dragged himself over to the jacket. His ribs protested the movement, but his stomach was no longer threatening to empty its contents.

The rise to a seated position was pure agony, but once upright he quickly donned the garment and zipped it. Slightly warmer already, he looked longingly at the bottoms lying at least another ten feet away. Bracing himself against the pain, he dropped back to the ground and began the process of pulling with his arms and pushing with his good leg until they were within reach.

Again, sitting up was pure agony. He ignored the cuts and scrapes that covered his legs and pulled on the garment. There was nothing available to treat or clean them with anyway.

Warmer now, his mind turned to the question of whether to wait for his team to find him or try to make it to the gate on his own. With a sharp intake of breath, he remembered standing in front of the DHD and pressing unresponsive glyphs. From there, it all came back in a rush. The burned-out village; its people dead. The children, all missing. Teyla's friend, the lone survivor, injured. His run to the gate for a medical team, only to find it malfunctioning.

Newfound determination fueled the need to get out of there and find Teyla before the son of a bitch that ambushed him did. Spying a large boulder nearby, he began the laborious process of crawling over to it.

It seemed to take forever to reach the stone, but once there he spotted a black object not far away. His boot. Pleasantly surprised, he scanned the area. He smiled, catching sight of a second black blob a short distance further. Yep, definitely his other boot. Things were certainly looking up. Ignoring the pain, he retrieved the footwear, dragging them back to the boulder. He rested against it while he donned both, hissing from the pain of his injured knee the entire time he struggled with the right shoe.

Panting heavily by the time he was finished, he used the rock to help get to his feet. Determined, he staggered over and began the steep climb out of the canyon. He had to find Teyla--and fast.

-A-

Teyla watched as John approached the ruined village. He paused before starting up the hill and turned to survey the ruins, shuddering violently as he stared out over the destruction. She reached for her radio to call him, but stopped. Something seemed…off. She continued to observe him, but couldn't put seem to pinpoint what bothered her about him. Finally, she shook her head, mentally scolding herself for letting Jalea's accusations color her thinking.

She stepped outside and waved to him, about to again reach for the radio when he spotted her. He tensed for a moment, then relaxed and tapped his own button. "Hey, there you are. I was beginning to worry."

Her mind eased at the familiar lazy drawl. "You made good time," she responded.

"Yeah, well, it was a lot easier without that damn heavy pack weighing me down."

She laughed. "Perhaps Rodney is not the only one who needs to train harder," she kidded.

He'd begun to make his way up the incline to the hidden room as he spoke and was now only a few yards away. The niggling doubt returned when his face momentarily clouded. "Are you insinuating that I'm getting soft?"

"Of course not," she replied defensively.

"Well that was a pretty low blow, you gotta admit." Her mind eased again when he winked at her. He looked pointedly behind her at Jalea, who seemed to be unconscious. "So how's our friend doing?"

Teyla turned toward the body. "She died a short while ago."

He looked away, swallowing hard. "Oh. I'm sorry," he choked out.

She nodded, watching him closely. He seemed to be taking Jalea's passing very hard, far more than he should have given that they had barely met. His reaction seemed far too…personal.

She was about to speak, but he beat her to the punch. It was as if someone had flipped a switch, his sorrow passing in an instant. "Okay," he replied, drawing out the word for an extra beat or two. "So what do you suggest we do now? We can't dial the gate and there's nothing left here."

She studied him for a moment, wondering why he hadn't suggested looking for the children. That was the more pressing concern, though burying the bodies would have to be dealt with soon as well. The burial task was far too immense for the two of them alone. Until Atlantis eventually contacted them--something that likely wouldn't happen for at least another day when they missed their scheduled check-in, there was little they could do on that front. But the children? They could certainly attempt to locate their trail and begin tracking them.

"I think we should look for the kids," he suggested, as if reading her mind.

"I agree." She nodded, though still uncertain that all was well.

"Good. What say we try that direction first?"

Teyla shook her head. "We should search the area for some sign of their trail. It is unlikely we will accomplish anything using your grid search method."

"Right." He turned in a circle, checking the ground in every direction. "No sign of a trail," he announced.

Teyla shook her head and began her own search, walking the area all around the hill. She kept a wary eye on John, watching covertly out of the corner of her eye the entire time.

Once satisfied, the Athosian turned to the colonel. "I believe they went this way," she said, pointing to a path into the hills.

"Why?" He seemed surprised at his own question and quickly tried to gloss over it. "I mean, I didn't find any sign of them," he hastily added. "What did I miss?"

With a level look, she explained. "Someone has attempted to conceal their tracks, but it is quite plain to see if one knows what to look for."

"Oh. Well, then I suppose we should be on our way. Care to point me in the right direction?" He waited expectantly, but still she couldn't help but feel that something was not quite right.

"As I said, I believe they were taken this way." Again, she pointed to the narrow path into the hills.

"I knew that," he said, smirking as he brushed past her and headed up the path.

Worried, Teyla cautiously followed.

-A-

Panting heavily, John flopped over onto the grass at the top of the steep incline. Every nerve and muscle in his body was screaming in agony, but he knew he couldn't afford the luxury of resting for very long. Teyla and her friend were in danger and every moment counted.

Groaning, he rolled to his stomach and pushed himself to his feet. His injured knee was quite painful, but continued to hold his weight. He quickly scanned his surroundings and opted for the one worn path away from the area. Taking a deep breath, he started on his way, limping heavily.

The further down the path he went, the looser the dirt became. He frowned at the footprints before him, an uneasy feeling blossoming in the pit of stomach. They were a perfect match to his own USAF issue footwear--and they led away from the drop off.

With his trouble meter spiking, he quickened his pace as much as his injuries would allow.

-A-

They had been traveling for well over an hour. Teyla continued to observe John, but had yet to find concrete proof of anything amiss. He'd nearly wandered off course on a number of occasions, but then he wasn't exactly known to possess a good sense of direction on his best day.

Then there was Jalea. Her friend's suspicions and accusations continued to haunt the Athosian. Time and time again as they made their way deeper into the hills, she persuaded herself that the man at her side was her friend. But then he would do something or say something that was just that little bit off of John's normal behavior. It all left her feeling confused and uncertain, much to her dismay.

She was about to suggest a rest break when John suddenly doubled over. He staggered as his entire body seemed to contort within his skin. "John!"

Alarmed, she reached out to steady him. She immediately checked his pulse, which she found to be racing. "I'm okay," he ground out. "Just need to rest a minute."

"You are not fine," she admonished. Uncapping her canteen, she helped him take a sip. "We should stop and rest here for awhile."

"No, I can keep going," he insisted. "I just need a minute."

"John, you are not fine! Never have I seen anyone suffer such an attack. Have you any idea what might have caused it?"

He closed his eyes tightly, taking a long time to respond. "Not really," he finally offered.

It was clear to her that he was holding something back. "Are you certain? Perhaps you were exposed to something when you searched the village?"

He shook his head. "No, that can't be it. You were there, too, and you aren't having any problems."

She frowned at the fact that he didn't even question her to see if she had been feeling oddly or not. It wasn't like him, but then again the fit he'd suffered had been bad. "Yes," she agreed. "But you were searching alone while I was…with Jalea."

"True," he admitted, wincing. "But I didn't find anything out of the ordinary."

His answer unsettled her even more, which she hadn't thought possible. Why had he not mentioned the fragments and pieces of his military's ordinance? She kept her unease to herself and concentrated on aiding him. "Can you make it to those trees?"

"Yeah, I think so," he agreed.

She helped him to his feet and had to practically carry him the short distance. Once she had him comfortably settled against the closest trunk, she excused herself to seek more water. "My canteen is empty and yours is nearly so. I need to replenish our supply."

He nodded, closing his eyes and leaning against the tree. Stunned by his lack of protest, she pulled his canteen from his belt. "Will you be all right? I will return as quickly as possible."

He nodded, though his eyes remained closed. Concerned at his lack of response, she uncapped the container and held it to his lips. "Here, you should take another drink before I go."

Teyla tipped the flask, noting his unhealthy pallor and the severe trembling in his limbs. After only a few swallows, he pushed it away. "Thanks." His voice was raspy, as weak as his muscles.

Gathering the gear, she stood. "Are you certain you will be all right?"

Again, he nodded, but otherwise did not move. He simply sat there, pale and shaking, against the tree.

"Very well," she finally responded. "Radio if you need anything."

"Sure." He offered a weak smile and wave of his hand.

She nodded a final goodbye and reluctantly set off for the stream she knew to be nearby.

As Teyla walked, she pondered the situation. What had caused the attack John had suffered? They had seen many strange maladies in their travels, but never had she witnessed anything like this. Could it be possible that her friend was not really her friend at all? Was she making too much of trivial matters and allowing her childhood friend's paranoia to influence her thinking?

The incidents that fueled her doubts were minor and she had to wonder if she'd even be giving them a second thought if not for Jalea's insistence. Still, there was the matter of the…fit he had suffered. And why had he dismissed the evidence of his military's explosives as nothing out of the ordinary? She had to concede that he may have simply meant other than those fragments. And yet, it did not seem that way at all.

Reaching the stream, she knelt and filled both containers. Perhaps she needed to do exactly what she had requested that Jalea do. Perhaps she needed to look beyond the similarities and find the differences. Dropping a purification tablet into each, she then capped them and hooked them onto her belt.

Her thoughts continued to center on John as she made her way back. But was it really him? He looked like John, of that there was no question. He had the same hair, the same face, the same build, and the same voice. And he did sound like John. But at the same time, he…didn't_._

She stumbled, fully realizing the truth of her words. The man she had left sitting against the tree had her friend's face and her friend's voice, but he was not her friend. There were definite strong similarities, but that unidentifiable thing that made John so uniquely John was…gone. She could deny it no longer.

The admission brought to the fore a multitude of questions. Had his body had been taken over or had an identical imposter had replaced him? How had it happened? What did this imposter hope to gain by his actions? And most importantly, where was the real John?

Determined to get answers, she checked her P-90 and silently made her way back to the spot where she'd left him. Moving stealthily from tree to tree, she approached him from behind. There was no way he would see her.

She paused for a deep breath behind the nearest tree, and bracing herself, stepped out to confront the imposter. The pounding of footsteps sounded faint in the distance as Teyla stood there staring, her weapon aimed at the tree. Reaching down, she pulled the familiar black leather jacket free from the sticks and leaves that had been stuffed inside of it.

The imposter was gone.


	3. Chapter 3

John paused, leaning heavily on the makeshift crutch he'd found. His injured knee had given out on him not long after he'd set out. Luckily, he'd found a long straight branch that was nearly the perfect height for him.

His attacker had left him with nothing other than his discarded clothing. It was the same uniform he and the other Atlantis military members had worn exclusively until a recent visit by the Daedalus brought a second option. He found the fact that it fit him to a tee extremely unsettling. There had been no sign of his utility belt, however, and his canteen had also been missing.

He started moving again, stumping along the narrow dirt path through the hills. Dismissing the rumbling in his stomach was far easier than ignoring his growing thirst, but he trudged relentlessly on.

He had to get to Teyla before his attacker did.

-A-

Teyla followed the trail of the pseudo-John deeper into the hills. The terrain grew steeper and more rugged with each step, but she had little trouble traversing it. His tracks were easy enough to follow; he seemed to be sacrificing stealth in favor of speed.

She bent to more closely examine the ground, remaining alert for anything amiss around her. The impressions in the dirt left little doubt that he was stumbling badly and had again fallen.

She rose and again set off to pursue the false Sheppard. Broken branches and small pieces of ripped black t-shirt appeared more and more frequently along the trail the further she went.

Where was he going in such a hurry? Would he lead her to the real John? Or was the John she knew gone, forever lost to her?

Her head shot up at the sound of a cry in the distance. He had again fallen. His…illness was growing worse.

She effortlessly tracked him to the rise of the stream from which she'd replenished their water supply before his flight. A voice drifted down to her, causing her to momentarily freeze. He was apparently not alone.

"I want to know who you are and how you got here for starters," demanded the man with John's voice.

The muffled reply was lost to her as a thought occurred. The voice was much stronger than what she would expect from him, given the trail he left. Perhaps…could it be the real John?

She immediately shook off the thought, not yet daring to hope. She used all of the skills her father had taught her to approach unnoticed. Moving from tree to tree for cover, she had her weapon poised and ready to fire if need be.

"I said I want to know where she is and what you did to her!" Again, John's raised voice. Whether it was her John or the fake one, she was still unable to ascertain. The anger in it, however, was unmistakable.

As before, she was unable to make out the muffled reply. With no way to tell if there were more than two of them, she continued to use extreme caution. After a great deal of careful maneuvering, she was finally close enough to observe.

She took in the scene before her with a critical eye. John was standing threateningly over a prone figure, though she was unable to determine the identity of the second individual. Almost entirely hidden by a large rock, the only part of the person visible was their black pants.

"Tell me!" John raised his P-90, forcing Teyla to act.

"Lower your weapon and back away slowly," she called, emerging from her hiding place.

"Teyla." The relief in his voice was evident. "You all right?"

It sounded like her friend, but she could not take the chance on being wrong. "I said lower your weapon and back away slowly. Do not force me to fire," she warned.

He turned slightly toward her, his eyes never leaving the person on the ground. "Teyla, it's me." His relief evaporated before her very eyes, replaced by a deep frown as he glanced her way. "But then again, maybe you're not you."

Without warning, he turned the P-90 on her in a good old-fashioned standoff. "Yeah," he continued. "How do I know for sure that you're really Teyla?"

Bewildered, she shook her head. "What do you mean?"

"Exactly what I said," he insisted. "How do I know you're you and not some look-a-like imposter like him?" He gestured to the hidden figure on the ground.

"I could ask the same of you. How do I know for certain that you are not an imposter?"

He seemed a bit taken aback at her turning the tables on him. "Well, because I am. Now stop trying to change the subject and answer the damn question. How do I know you're the real Teyla?"

Both caught the movement of the person on the ground at the same instant and immediately sighted him in their weapons. "Don't listen to him, Teyla," warned the downed man.

The Athosian was not surprised to see an exact duplicate of the man standing before her. Her gaze narrowed as she took in the condition of both men. The John who had confronted and questioned her was dressed in the gray and black expedition uniform of old. He was covered in cuts and scrapes, with at least one deep gash near his hairline. While dirty, the uniform was basically in tact. Blood trailed down the side of his face unnoticed and he was definitely favoring his right leg.

The other John, the one who'd been all but hidden by the boulder, was still half-laying, half-sitting on the ground and had made no attempt to rise. He was covered with a myriad of scratches and his black t-shirt was torn and ripped in literally dozens of places. It was quite evident that this was the man she had been trailing. But how could she really be certain that the other man was the real John?

The gray-clad John glared at her with unabashed suspicion. She could see the instant he came up with a solution. Still pointing the weapon at her, he nodded. "What happened to that woman we found?"

Teyla's face fell, her grief evident in her eyes. "Jalea did not make it. She died shortly before you--he--returned from your trip to the stargate."

"Oh. I'm sorry," he immediately offered, his face falling. "You okay?"

She nodded. "Yes, thank you."

He studied her for a long moment before speaking. "Okay, so now that we've established that you're you, how do I go about convincing you that I'm me?"

"That will not be necessary. You already have."

"Oh?"

The John in black rolled his eyes. "Oh, gimme a break. The Teyla I know…argh!" He cried out as another spell overtook him, his features contorting and twisting from within. It was several minutes before they finally settled back to normal.

Gray-John grimaced sympathetically. "Cascade tremor?"

Black-John nodded weakly. "How'd you know?"

"I read the report on the Quantum Mirror from the SCG after McKay started carrying on about looking for one here in the Pegasus galaxy."

Teyla's unease returned, seeing the two Johns speaking almost as friends. "What is going on here? Where did this man come from and why does he so strongly resemble you?"

Leaning heavily against the boulder, he waved weakly. "Major John Sheppard, USAF, at your service."

"_Major_ John Sheppard?" she questioned. "How is that possible?"

Gray-John supplied her answer. "He's from an alternate reality. That's why he's having the cascade tremors--technically, it's called 'entropic cascade failure.' Basically, we can't both exist in the same reality without…_that_ happening." He then turned to the major. "So. You guys found a quantum mirror, huh?"

The other John stubbornly refused to answer. "Sorry, Major. That information would be classified."

His counterpart smirked, gleefully correcting his mistake. "Ah, no. That would now be Lieutenant Colonel, thank you very much."

Major Sheppard frowned. "But how? You couldn't have been promoted unless…" His eyes widened. "You found a way to contact Earth," he whispered reverently.

John shrugged. "Technically, they found a way to contact us. But yeah, we have contact with Earth."

Teyla had heard enough and wanted answers to more pressing questions. "Where are the children?"

The major's face clouded. "Gone."

John's eyes narrowed. "You've already sent them through to your reality."

Major Sheppard leaned back, his eyes closed, pointedly not answering them.

"But will they not experience these same tremors that are affecting you? They are but children--how could you be so cruel as to put them through a thing like that?" Teyla was livid.

"They'll be fine." The man made no effort to open his eyes or acknowledge her in any other way.

John step-hopped forward, his anger also apparent. "Here's a newsflash for you--going through entropic cascade failure is _NOT_ fine!"

The major finally opened his eyes, giving his counterpart a glare that would have melted steel, reinforcing the reality that he had single-handedly wiped out the entire adult population of this world. "They're not going to experience cascade failure," he shot back. "And here's a newsflash for you--we aren't _that_ different from one another."

"I do not understand." Teyla demanded, nearly trembling with rage. "I thought two people cannot exist in the same reality without getting this…entropic cascade failure."

"They're dead. In your reality, the counterparts of the kids you took are dead." The lieutenant colonel blurted out the answer before his duplicate and wasted no time in demanding answers of his own. "How'd it happen? And while we're on the subject, why take ours?"

"You wouldn't understand," his twin shot back. "Everything is…different here."

"So enlighten us." Gray-clad John refused to back down. "Tell us what happened in your reality that could possibly justify butchering an entire adult civilization and kidnapping their children!"

Before he could answer, another tremor took hold. Teyla took hold of his shoulders, carefully guiding him to a recumbent position. The John of her reality motioned to the far side of the rock and limped over to collapse against it.

"Are you all right?" Though his voice was strong and he did not appear to be gravely injured, she couldn't help worrying about him.

"I'm good for the time being. Just concentrate on getting what you can out of our friend there."

She frowned, looking from one to the other and assessing their needs. As much as she hated to admit it, the John before her was definitely most in need of attention. It galled her to have to aid someone who had so callously taken the lives of her friends. On the other hand, it was difficult to comprehend that the man before her, the man who wore the face of her friend, was capable of such an act. The John she knew was fair, just, and honorable. And yet, she knew when circumstances required, he could and would be ruthless.

A groan from the major drew her out of her thoughts. When he opened his eyes, he appeared to be surprised to see Teyla's face above him. He attempted to rise, but was too weak to raise his head more than a few inches. Cautiously, she lifted his head and allowed him a sip of water. "Thanks," he mumbled.

"Your thanks are not necessary. I would do the same for anyone." Though her touch was gentle, there was steel in her voice and anger dancing in her eyes. "Perhaps a better way to express your gratitude would be to explain to me why you have murdered my friends and taken their children."

"You think I wanted to?" he shot back, his voice still weak. "I had no choice--there was no other way."

"So you say." Her tone remained icy cold.

He sighed heavily. "All right, I'll tell you what you want to know." He hesitated, straining to raise his head and look for his twin. "Where's my double?"

"He is near." Her tone made it clear that this was as much information as he was going to get on the matter.

"Fine, but I'm not repeating this."

At her nod, he began his tale. "A few months after we first arrived in Atlantis, I took my team to planet called Hoff. We found out that they had been working on developing a serum that would protect them against being fed on by the Wraith."

"Yes, we visited Hoff and found out about the serum as well. It was unfortunate that they would not listen to Doctor Beckett; those not dead from the side effects of the vaccine were destroyed by the Wraith when their efforts were discovered."

"Then that's it. That's where the timelines diverged."

"Oh?" She didn't understand the theory of alternate realities and it showed in both her expression and tone.

He sighed wearily and tried to explain. "Basically, that's where things changed and my reality branched off from yours. Where I'm from, the Hoffans did listen to Carson. With his help, a serum was developed that appeared to be free from side effects." Short of breath, he paused. He closed his eyes tightly as the pain intensified.

Truth be told, it frightened her to see him in such pain. She was well aware of Sheppard's high pain threshold, and though the two Johns were different in some ways, she had a strong feeling that this was not one of them. And then there was the fact that the man before her had committed an atrocity of unfathomable proportions. It was difficult to reconcile the fact that the man with such a familiar, dear-to-her-heart face had wiped out an entire village and stolen their offspring. A village that included her friends.

When the worst of it finally passed, he was able to continue. "We organized and implemented a plan to mass produce it and inject everyone on every single planet in the galaxy that wanted it. In my reality, there are no more Wraith. Not a single one."

"You have found a way to defeat the Wraith?" she asked incredulously. Her eyes then narrowed in suspicion. "How could you possibly have avoided detection and manufactured enough serum to inoculate the population of an entire galaxy?"

He was quiet for a long time before answering. "Not all of the labs went undetected. We lost…a lot. Too much. Way too many good people died."

Her eyes widened as his unspoken meaning became clear. "From Atlantis?"

He swallowed hard, looking away as he spoke. "We managed to avoid the Wraith discovering our secret for almost eight months. Once they found out, the Hoffans were first to fall. Carson…" His voice cracked so badly he wasn't immediately able to speak. It took several moments before he spoke again, this time in a detached tone. "Beckett was there working with Perna when the attack occurred. By the time we arrived, there wasn't a single living being left alive."

He took another deep breath and squeezed his eyes tightly shut. "Atlantis was hit next. There wasn't time to evacuate. If Teyla and I hadn't been offworld testing the security at one of the other labs…" Again, he had to pause a moment to collect himself. "We lost McKay, Zelenka, Elizabeth--everybody. We didn't find out until we tried to gate home--the wormhole wouldn't connect. So we went to the nearest gate and eventually got there by jumper."

Tears slipped from his eyes to trail slowly down his face. "There was nothing left. She was just…gone. There was no sign the city had ever been there. The jumper's sensors detected debris at the bottom. McKay must have managed to set off the self-destruct."

Again, he swallowed hard and continued in the same detached tone. "The Genii homeworld was the next to fall. Somehow the Wraith found out about their underground bunker. No one was left there either."

"We knew that the Wraith would find out what we were doing sooner or later, so right from the beginning I set up several storage locations for the finished serum--away from the labs, for safekeeping. Ladon Radim was at one of them when the Genii were hit. He set up new labs to replace the ones lost. Basically, he took over Beckett's responsibilities and organized the distribution and inoculation of the various populations."

He grew quiet then and Teyla contemplated his story. He'd lost so much in the process of defeating the Wraith. It struck her then, like a physical blow. There were no more Wraith in his world. Not one. And that meant that there would be no more cullings. No more running from Darts and dodging their beams. No more hive ships. No more queens or their lieutenants or drones. No more watching helplessly as dear ones had their life ruthlessly drained from them before her very eyes. No more visiting a village to meet and trade with dear friends, only to find their world in ruin after a visit by the Wraith. It was almost too much to comprehend.

"Are you willing to share this serum so that we may be free from the Wraith as well?" She was willing to deal with the devil himself if it meant eliminating the Wraith once and for all.

He shook his head, his eyes still closed. "I can't. There were…complications. It wasn't until later…" Another wave of pain hit, stealing his breath and stopping his explanation for the moment.

She wetted a square of cloth and wiped his face with it, considering all he'd told her as she worked. She'd grown used to life on Atlantis. It was difficult to imagine life without the great city, never again being able to stroll down its magnificent corridors and hallways. Never again having the grand city's resources to draw upon in a crisis. Never again sitting in the mess and dining with her friends, especially her teammates. Never again sparring with John, Ronon, or any number of other expedition members in the gym. Never again meditating in her room, surrounded by mementos of her people and her life on Athos.

He groaned, his face tightening with the pain that racked his body. She continued her ministrations, her mind again going back to contemplate his losses. Her chest tightened at the thought of losing her Atlantean friends. What would life be like without Elizabeth for her to share the difficulties of leadership that they as women faced? Without watching John and Rodney bicker back and forth like children, laughing at their antics? Without feeling like a parent trying to keep her children in line when the pair's arguments spiraled out of control? Without hearing the peculiar brogue from the gentle Scottish doctor upon waking in the infirmary? Without ever again hearing him call her "love" in that endearing way of his?

She turned to rewet the cloth, but before she could even uncap the canteen the next tremor hit. Longer and more severe than the previous attacks, it left him barely conscious. She was startled when he suddenly reached up to grab her arm.

"Please," he begged. "S-send me b-back." Panting from the effort of speaking, he pushed on. "P-p-please? P-promised w-would c-come b-back."

"Shh," she soothed. "You must save your strength."

"T-too late. P-please, p-promise me. C-canyon. E-e…argh!" He stopped abruptly, his jaw clenching in pain. A groan evolved into a cry of agony, every muscle in his body going rigid as he tried to ride it out.

Without warning, his body suddenly went limp. Teyla knew immediately that his end had come. Trembling, she placed her fingers against his neck and felt for a pulse. She found none.

She closed her eyes and sat back on her heels. "He is dead."

Her John's voice drifted over from the other side of the rock. "He didn't tell us why he took the kids or where the mirror was. There's no way to get them back without it."

She nodded, rising. "Yes, I know. I shall see to your injuries now." Teyla stared down at the lifeless body, surprised to find a tear sliding down her cheek. She quickly wiped it away and shrugged off her jacket, draping it over the corpse.

Moving on autopilot, she set about tending the living John's wounds. First, she cleaned and bandaged the deepest cut on his head. From there, she turned her attention to his injured leg, feeling along the bone for any sign of a fracture.

He hissed in pain when she touched the swollen knee, but she ignored it and continued her examination. "I believe it is badly sprained, but not broken," she informed him.

"It's not my fault, you know."

"Of course not. Why would you think that I believe it to be your fault? You could not help being injured." She continued to wrap the knee, not looking at him for even a moment.

He sighed. "That's not what I meant. It's not my fault that he's dead."

She stilled, finally lifting her eyes to meet his. "What?"

"You haven't looked me in the eye once--until now--since he died. It's obvious that you hold me responsible. What I don't get is why?"

Teyla flinched from the hurt in his tone. "I do not hold you responsible--I am glad he is the one dead and not you," she told him earnestly. "But I must confess that I am…conflicted regarding him. He murdered my friends and took their children. But after hearing what he has endured--what they have endured…" She sighed deeply. "I cannot help but wonder what other horrors they must have experienced to have driven him to this extreme. And now I fear that we shall never know. Our only hope of ever finding out is to locate this mirror of which you spoke."

The tension drained from his body. "Yeah, I know. On one hand, I can't help but feel that the son-of-a-bitch got what he deserved. But then I have to wonder, if I were in that position, if I had gone through what he did, would I have done anything differently? And then there's that whole trying-to-kill-me thing. He didn't even stick around to make sure the job was finished. Why throw me down that mountain anyway? He had me stunned and helpless on the ground by the DHD. I get why he didn't use the P-90 or the handgun; too risky. Someone--you--might hear and come investigate. But he could have snapped my neck or used a knife or any number of different things that would have left no doubt the job was done."

"And yet he did not." She was silent for a moment. "Perhaps, somewhere in the depths of his soul, he wished to be discovered. Perhaps he felt this…entropic cascade failure would be a just punishment for his crimes."

She reached up and placed her hand gently against his cheek. "Whatever his reasons were, I am most pleased that he did not succeed."

He looked away, blushing. "Yeah, me, too."

A comfortable silence fell over them as she cleaned and dressed the rest of his scrapes and scratches. When the job was finished she gathered her things and tidied up the area. She knew he was watching her; she could feel his eyes on her back. She smiled, finding yet another difference between him and his double. The deceased John's gaze had made her uncertain, uncomfortable even. But this John observing her felt right, much like coming home after a long absence.

Grabbing the two canteens, she turned and offered one to him. "You must not allow yourself to become dehydrated."

"Yes, Mother," he quipped, smirking. Nevertheless, he uncapped the vessel and drank.

She returned his grin, settling herself on the rock before uncapping her own and taking a swig. Her thoughts went immediately to Jalea and her lost child. If only he had been able to tell them where the mirror was before he died. At least then she'd have a chance of recovering Ryssa. There was little else she could do for her departed friend now.

"Penny for your thoughts?" asked John.

Pulled from her reverie, she smiled at him. "I was thinking about Jalea. There is a place not far from here where we used to sneak off to as young girls. My father would have to come and retrieve me when it was time to leave, as we never seemed able to return to the village within his allotted time."

"How well do you know this planet?"

"I used to know it very well, but it many years have passed since I visited regularly. But I believe I could still find my way without much difficulty." She knew the look he wore well--an idea was forming, perhaps a plan to locate the mirror device. "You have an idea?"

"Well, I was just thinking about your friends and their aversion to advanced technology. And I'm thinking that if they did know where this mirror was, it's a pretty good bet that they wouldn't want any of their fellow villagers anywhere near it, right?"

Teyla nodded. "Yes, they would definitely take measures to avoid such a device."

"Right, so I was just wondering if you might be aware of anyplace that was off limits. Maybe someplace that you were forbidden to play as a child?"

Teyla's eyes widened. "Yes. Yes, there is such a place. I remember once, Jalea's father became very, very angry when my father mentioned finding us near the entrance to a canyon not far from here. Jalea later told me that it was forbidden for anyone to enter. They called it "Echo Canyon". She was punished quite harshly for even going near there. She later told me that legend said that if one entered the canyon, they would cease to be themselves and be rendered into many, many different--but identical--people."

He sat forward eagerly. "That's got to be it. He said something about a canyon right before he…you know. Do you think you can find it?"

She nodded. "It is not far." Looking at his swollen knee, she hesitated. "Though it will most certainly take longer with your injury. Likely half an hour or more."

"Then what are we waiting for? Let's get our stuff and move out." Groaning, he pulled himself to his feet.

"John." She nodded to his deceased twin. "He asked that we return him to his people."

He shook his head. "Not possible. We can't carry him, not that far."

"I can fashion a…travois, I believe you call it? It will not take long." Without waiting for his agreement, she began scouting for the poles she would need.

"Why are you so intent on doing this for him? He doesn't deserve it!"

She turned slowly to face him, determined. "I am not doing this for him. I am doing it for those he left behind. They have already lost so much--if I can in some way lessen their pain, then I must do so."

He scrubbed a hand across his face, sighing. "Yeah, okay. So, how can I help?"

"You can remove the branches from these saplings while I locate a means to bind them together," she suggested.

"Great, just what I always wanted to be--a stripper." His eyes grew wide with panic and his face turned a vivid shade of red. "Um, I didn't mean… I mean, what I meant was…" He gestured awkwardly to the saplings she dropped in front of him. "Um, I don't suppose you could just forget I ever said that?"

She laughed and gestured to the makeshift poles. "We should get to work."

"Right," he agreed.

Making a mental note to ask Elizabeth about it later, she set about finding what she needed to finish the stretcher.


	4. Chapter 4

Though they'd had pause to rest on several occasions--mostly due to John's injuries, Teyla's estimate had been pretty accurate. It had taken them just over half an hour to reach the canyon. John was thankful that her memory had been flawless and she was able to guide them directly to the forbidden entrance.

They couldn't help but be awed by its beauty. The white rock walls sparkled like they were studded with diamonds. Vegetation was sparse, consisting of clumps of dark green bushes sprinkled haphazardly throughout the canyon floor. Their contrast with the blinding white of walls was striking.

Neither spoke as they slowly made their way deeper into the chasm. It was Teyla who finally called for a break about a mile in, much to John's relief--not that he'd admit it. Though he'd been using his makeshift crutch the entire way, his knee was throbbing badly and far more swollen than when they'd started out. He'd never let on, but he honestly wasn't certain how much farther he could go on it.

"I do not see anything that resembles a mirror here,' announced Teyla, wearily stretching her shoulders.

Intently studying a section of wall across and down from them, John didn't immediately answer. He frowned, his eyes roaming over the expanse of rock. "Maybe."

"You have found something?"

He pointed to an area roughly ten feet square. "Does that look like a frame to you?"

Her eyes followed his finger as he pointed out the area he had been studying. The frame was camouflaged enough to blend into its surroundings, but if one looked carefully it was easy enough to pick out. "Yes, I see it. But where is the mirror?"

He studied it a moment longer before answering. "It's not active. Look, the surface inside is smoother than outside. That's it. That's our quantum mirror. I'd bet a month's pay on it."

She frowned. "How does one activate one of these…quantum mirrors?"

"With a controller. Which I'm sure he hid somewhere--that's what I'd do. It's got to be around here someplace. He couldn't have sent the kids through without it." Squinting, he began to visually scour the surrounding terrain.

It was Teyla who spotted the stash. "There!" Before John could say a word, she had gone over to retrieve the pack hidden in the nearby bushes.

She brought it over and set it in front of him before opening it. "Careful," he cautioned, watching her pull out what was obviously the controller.

"Do you know how to use it?" She carefully handed it over to him, treating it like the most fragile of crystal.

"Shouldn't be too hard to figure out. Help me up, will you?" He gingerly set the controller on the ground, grunting loudly as she pulled him to his feet. Once he was steady, he pointed to the device. "Would you mind?"

"Of course." She handed him the device and then checked to see what else was in the pack. "Here are the controls crystals for the DHD."

"That's good. At least we know we can get back home."

"What do we do next?" she asked, setting the bag aside.

He paused, looking at the body of his double. "First, let's put him over there." He nodded to indicate a spot in view of the mirror. "Then I want you to stay out of sight until we know what we're dealing with here."

"You expect trouble."

He half-nodded. "Let's just say I'd rather be safe than sorry."

Once she had hidden and was out of sight, he activated the device.

It didn't take him long to figure out the controls; he'd gotten the basics from the SGC reports and, as with most Ancient tech, he quickly discovered an instinctive ability with it. He paged through the different realities, looking for any detail that would identify the one he sought.

He'd thought he'd found it several times when he'd seen an anxious looking Teyla waiting opposite him, but then Ronon, Rodney, or Ford would appear next to her. Each time he shook his head and waved, moving immediately on to the next reality.

He knew instantly when he'd truly found the right one. The other Teyla's relief lit up her entire face, and yet there was still a bone-weary air about her. When he didn't return her smile, her joy evaporated, replaced by an uncertainty that unnerved him more than he cared to admit.

He lowered his eyes and glanced to the body nearby. The moment she realized what she was seeing, her hand flew to her mouth. She swayed as she grabbed her midsection, bending under the weight of her grief.

When she was able to pull herself together, she raised her arms and slowly turned in a complete circle before extending her hand toward the mirror. She paused before touching it, her eyes asking his permission to proceed. Satisfied that she'd shown she was carrying no obvious weapons, he nodded. She, in turn, closed the gap and the mirror shimmered.

She didn't hesitate, but went straight to the body, gathering it into her arms. Silently crying, she gently uncovered his face. Noting the scratches, she glared up at the living John. "What have you done to him?"

"Wait just a minute--I'm the one he threw off a mountain and tried to kill," he protested.

"I believe he was attempting to return to your reality," said her double. "He fled while I was procuring fresh water, but made no effort to prevent anyone following him. Those scratches are from the brush he was running through. It was obvious he was in a great hurry."

Her tears continued as she reached down to reverently smooth his unruly hair. "I tried many times to convince him this was too dangerous to attempt alone, but he refused to listen."

"Why did he come back?" asked John. "He had the kids, so why risk it?"

She smiled sadly through the tears. "For your medical supplies. Our reserves are dwindling badly."

He shook his head. "I don't buy it. He could have snagged them and been gone with us none the wiser. Try again."

She looked away, continuing to absently stroke the dark hair as she held his body close. "I can only assume that he hoped to procure more of your weapons, in particular your C4 explosives. He has been quite concerned as our supplies are nearly depleted."

He pinched his nose in a vain attempt to stave off the pounding headache. "Ok, that I get. I even get the medical supplies. What I do not get is why he took the kids. I suppose you're going to tell me your supplies of those are dwindling, too?"

His sarcasm was biting, but she didn't seem to notice, continuing to look off in the distance. "In a manner of speaking, yes."

"Oh really? Well why don't you go ahead and explain to us exactly what manner of speaking would that be?"

Startled, she finally looked at him. "He did not tell you?"

"Would I be asking if he had?"

Another tear escaped to slip down her cheek. "You are so like him. Like he was…before."

He didn't like the comparison at all and ignored her sad smile, quickly steering her back to the matter at hand. "Tell us why you took the kids," he snapped.

She looked away, her gaze returning to the body of her reality's John. Fighting back tears, she began to explain. "I assume he told you of the Hoffan's serum and losing Atlantis?"

"Yeah." John's voice was thick, but his resolve remained firmly in place.

She nodded, unconsciously hugging the body tighter. "When it was certain that the Wraith were no longer a threat, John became concerned about overpopulation. He was afraid of food shortages and all of the many problems that come with uncontrolled growth. So he kept the network in place, asking for regular census reports. Including the number of expectant mothers.

"After several months, it became apparent that there was a problem. People started to become ill; many died. It was not like any epidemic we had ever seen. It struck everywhere at the same time; not a single world had been spared. A short time after that, we realized that not a single new pregnancy had been reported on any planet. Not one, not in the entire galaxy. Ladon attempted to ascertain a cause, but he is not a doctor. No one wanted to admit it, but we all knew the cause was the serum."

She paused, again needing to gather her composure. Neither John nor his own Teyla spoke, allowing her to continue at her own pace. Finally, she cleared her throat and began again. "One of our early labs was on this planet in our reality. The Wraith attacked, and when they were through, not a single soul was left alive. John chose it to set up the hub of the communications network. He was there gathering the latest reports one day when suddenly Rodney appeared out of no where. He had discovered the mirror and come through with his team.

"Upon learning of our situation, that Dr. McKay summoned his reality's Carson. Dr. Beckett quickly confirmed that the serum had caused not only the epidemic, but irreversible sterility in all of the survivors. The human race in our reality was doomed to die out within a few short years and there was no way to prevent it. He could do nothing to help us. Nothing, save to offer a few medical supplies."

She went back to subconsciously stroking the deceased man's head. "John asked if he could visit their Atlantis. He was granted permission and left for several days. He was pale and ill-looking upon his return, but recovered quickly."

Her eyes grew distant as she continued. "He was very quiet for many days after. I assumed that it was due to his grief over losing Atlantis and did not attempt to push him to speak of it.

"Several weeks after his return he came to me with a plan. He had discovered a sort of map of the different realities and their mirrors while on the other Atlantis. He proposed that we visit these other realities, insisting they were the solution to our problem."

John's eyes narrowed in anger. "So you just started dialing up different realities and killing people so you could take their kids."

"Of course not!" she shot back, her eyes flashing with her own ire. "Our plan was to invite those from worlds which had been destroyed in our reality to join us and resettle their villages and cities, to live without fear of the Wraith ever again. John told us of this entropic cascade failure, so we knew that we could not invite anyone with a living counterpart."

Her voice broke as her anger quickly faded. "We visited reality after reality, world after world, but no one would listen. They could not believe that a place existed where there was no longer any threat from the Wraith. They all feared it was a trick to rob them and steal their lands."

Her tear-filled eyes looked desperately into his. "Can you not see that we had no choice? So many sacrificed so very much to win the battle against the Wraith. Not only those who lost their lives, but those who were left behind. How could we sit by and let all of their pain, all of their agony, all that they sacrificed be for nothing? How?"

John's gaze never wavered. "Look, I'm sorry for what happened to you--all of you. But that doesn't give you the right to go into other realities and kill off entire villages. You can't just take what you want and damn the consequences. Desperate or not, that makes you no better than the Wraith."

"The very future of the entire human race was at stake--you would have done the same in our place!"

He shook his head adamantly. "No. No way. I don't care how desperate the situation, there is no possible justification for murdering innocent villagers and taking their children. Period." He paused a moment to allow his words to sink in. "And if he and I were as alike as you say, I'm sure he told you that."

She seemed to deflate before their very eyes. "Yes, he did," she choked out. "But I persuaded him that it must be done. It is my fault that he is dead."

She began to sob, then, her whole body shaking as she rocked the dead John. "Please forgive me. I am so very sorry," she murmured into his hair. "I did not mean to ask so much of you."

John shot a helpless look at his Teyla. In return, her eyes told him to allow her the space to ride it out and release her grief. He nodded and turned away to wait it out, too uncomfortable to watch.

It was a long while before she was able to compose herself. John had long since had to sit down to relieve his injured knee. Teyla stood protectively over him, waiting for her double to recover. Finally, the other Teyla turned to them, her cheeks still stained with tears. "If you would be so kind as to assist me, I should take him home now."

John grabbed his Teyla's arm before she could move forward to help as requested. Grunting, he pulled himself to his feet with her assistance. "Oh, I don't think so. Not yet. We need to get a few things settled first."

The other Teyla frowned. "I do not understand."

John hopped forward to face her after his Teyla handed him his homemade crutch. "You have our kids. We want them back."

Shocked by his request, her eyes darted immediately to the body she still held. Reverently, she lowered him to the ground and climbed to her feet. Her eyes danced with anger as she stood there toe-to-toe with him. "Do with me what you will, but I will not help you retrieve the children. I cannot and will not allow his sacrifice to have been for nothing."

"Then you leave us no choice but to use force. People are going to get hurt, some may even die. And every wound, every death--all of it will be squarely on your head." Sheppard wasn't mincing words and his expression confirmed his determination.

"No, it will be on yours." The alternate Teyla was not budging an inch. "What do these children have waiting for them here? Nothing! I cannot undo what has been done here, but I can do my utmost to make up for it. I can see that each of these children is raised in a loving home, one that is safe from cullings and Wraith attacks. Do what you must, but you cannot deny that they will be better off in my reality."

"She is right."

John nearly lost his balance as he rounded on his Teyla. "Are you kidding me? You're going to trust those kids to the people who killed their parents?"

She stood firm, nodding. "Yes. As much as it pains me to admit it, Jalea would want Ryssa to grow up in a loving home. And while I can provide that, I cannot offer her such a home in place where she will never again have to fear the Wraith."

John considered her words carefully before turning to the other Teyla. "How many other realities have you raided?"

She remained defiant. "What does that matter?"

He rolled his eyes. "It matters because I need to know that those kids are going to be ok when the…original population is gone and they're all that's left."

He was beginning to wonder if she was going to answer him by the time she finally spoke. "I do not see the need for you to know specifics. However, I do understand your concern and can assure you that their numbers are sufficient enough that they will be able to flourish."

He tilted his head back, allowing the sun to bathe his face while he pondered her statement. He again met her gaze evenly. "Even if there are no further…additions from other realities?"

Her eyes widened as his meaning set in, but she slowly nodded. "It will be difficult, but yes, even then."

He turned again to his Teyla. "You're sure about this?"

After careful consideration, she nodded. "Yes."

"Ok." He nodded toward his double. "Let's send 'em home."

Together, the two Teylas moved the body closer to the mirror. Not a word was spoken; no pleasantries or wishes of good luck were exchanged. As she was about to touch the mirror, John spoke. "You'll have twenty minutes to get yourself clear of the area once you're through."

She paused, glaring at him. "You have no right."

He shrugged. "Yeah, well neither did you, but that sure didn't stop you."

Still glowering, she reached out and touched the mirror. He was relieved to see her waste no time in leaving the area once on the other side. In turn, he wasted no time in removing C4 blocks and timers from his vest pockets. He tossed his Teyla one of the bundles. "Set the timer for two minutes. We'll send it through and blow that one first, then take care of this one."

She nodded and silently set about completing the task.

He watched her carefully as they waited the allotted time for the alternate Teyla to flee the area, worried by the way she closed herself off from him. He knew exactly what her thoughts were; he was himself doing his utmost to keep from looking too hard at his double's actions. There would be time enough for that later, once they were safely back in Atlantis. For now, there was work to be done and a teammate to get safely home.

His watch beeped, prompting him to turn to her. "Do it."

She nodded and walked to the mirror, carefully sending the charge through to the other side.

In no time he had the charge set on their own mirror. Placing the controller next to it, he turned to her. "Come on, time to go home."

She nodded, grabbing the pack with the control crystals for the DHD inside it.

They had been walking in silence for some time when the ground shook beneath their feet. "So. I guess that's the end of that. Can we stop a minute?" he asked, dropping to the ground next to a tree.

Immediately concerned, she went to his side. "Are you all right? I should have noticed you were tiring; I am sorry."

He grimaced, using his hands to move his injured leg. "Nah, I'm ok. Nothing a little time in Beckett's clutches won't cure--along with some of his heavy-duty magic pills."

She smiled and nodded, but it didn't last. Watching the dust cloud in the distance, she finally began to open up. "Do you believe we did the right thing?"

He thought it over before answering. "Yeah. Yeah, I do. You've been awfully quiet. Having second thoughts?"

She continued to look into the distance. "I have been thinking about all that they have gone through. I cannot help but wonder if I would have done the same in her place."

"You wouldn't."

She turned to look at him, her surprise at his conviction evident in her expression. "You seem very certain of that."

"Yep, I am. Look, I know that growing up in the Pegasus galaxy and living under the constant threat from the Wraith, you have, well, a different perspective when it comes to certain things. But I know you well enough by now to know that you would never condone the senseless slaughter of all those innocent people. Not ever. We would have found another way. Someway, somehow, we'd have found another way."

As she pondered his words, a thought occurred to her. "Do you regret having to destroy the mirror?"

He snorted. "No, no way. That thing was way too dangerous to leave in tact." He grimaced, unable to stifle a groan.

"Is the pain worse?"

"No, I was just thinking about what Rodney's going to say when he finds out."

"He will…not be pleased."

"That's putting it mildly." Laughing, he reached for his crutch. "Help me up--we need to get moving."

She grabbed his hand and pulled him to his feet.

"He's never going to let us hear the end of it, you know." John smiled as they set off, their pace slow and lazy.

"No, he certainly will not. What do you propose to do about it?"

John's eyes twinkled mischievously. "I don't suppose you heard about his little performance when Carson had him doped to the gills?"

Teyla shook her head. "A few rumors, but nothing of substance."

"He was pretty out of it, from what I understand. So when Carson told him he had an arrow in his gluteus maximus, it took Rodney a minute to comprehend."

Teyla frowned. "And what does this have to with my question?"

His grin broadened. "Well, I figure that every time McKay brings up the fact that we blew up the mirror, all I'll have to do is say, "Oh my god, that's my ass!" and he'll shut up pretty quickly."

She laughed heartily at his drugged-Rodney impression, in spite of herself. "John," she scolded.

He shrugged. "Yeah, okay, I guess you're right. This is Rodney we're talking about. It'll take a lot more than that to shut him up. We'll think of something."

"How can you be so certain?" she asked, playing along.

He stopped and turned to face her, shrugging. "We always do. Come on--I'll race you to the gate."

She shook her head in amusement and watched him feign hopping madly down the path toward the gate. "John?"

He paused, and carefully balancing, turned back to face her. "Yeah?"

"Thank you."

Again, he shrugged. "No problem. That's what families are for."

She watched as he turned and resumed his fake mad hop to the gate. Smiling broadly, she raced to catch up.


End file.
